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To Help Heal Your Cold or Flu Faster, Start Using These Natural Home Remedies

Common colds are the leading reason for doctor visits and missed days at school and work, and almost all of us suffer 2-3 colds annually.

Colds are caused by a virus and not bacteria, so they cannot be treated with antibiotics. In most cases, colds last for 2-4 days, but often, the symptoms are not treated but prolonged instead, due to the use of some over-the-counter remedies.

Colds are often treated with remedies like aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil), but these just reduce the natural ability of the body to fight the cold on itself.

Moreover, such remedies can pose serious health risks, so it turns out, the solution is out of the medicine cabinet.

There are perfectly effective herbal remedies, and healthy lifestyle habits, in a combination with vitamin supplementation, which can help you fight the virus and strengthen the immune system to fight off viral attacks.

These are the 17 most effective natural ways to fight a cold:

1.Healthy Foods

You need to avoid processed foods and focus on healthy ones, that will lower the risk of infections and boost your overall health.

2.Sleep

Sleep deficiency has been linked to numerous health issues, from weak immune system to dementia.

Sleep actually regulates the immune system and promotes the influence of cytokines stimulating the interaction between antigen-presenting cells and T-helper cells, which helps the body to treat virus infections. In the case of a cold, rest during the day, and sleep at least 8hours during the night.

3.Exercise

Regular exercise strengthens the immune system and prevents cold. In the case of a cold, try slow biking, walking, yoga or jogging, in order not to spend all the energy needed to fight the virus, but reduce the symptom and strengthen the body.

4.Apple Cider Vinegar

Cold viruses raise the body acidity, so the intake of a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar daily will alkalize the body and prevent the growth of viruses.

5.Stress Reduction

You need to lower stress in order to support the function of the immune system and avoid diseases like depression, gastrointestinal issues, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, etc. Try exercising, meditation, yoga, massage, reading, or whatever works for you.

6.Baking Soda

Baking soda alkalizes the body in the case of colds and flu, and thus accelerates the recovery. You should dissolve a bit of it in a glass of water and drink it.

Back in 1925, the Arm & Hammer Company gave the following recommendations for the treatment of colds and influenza:

Day 1 — Six of one-half teaspoon of baking soda in glass of cool water, at about 2-4 intervals

Day 2 —Four doses of one-half teaspoon of baking soda in glass of cool water, at 2-4 intervals

Day 3 — Two doses of one-half teaspoon of baking soda in glass of cool water twice daily, in the morning and evening, and thereafter half a teaspoon in glass of cool water each morning until the cold symptoms disappear

7.Raw Honey

Honey has powerful natural antibacterial and antiviral properties, so use it instead of a cough syrup or cough drops to relieve a sore throat due to a cold. If you combine it with lemons, you will get an incredibly effective dry cough remedy.

You should put a pint of raw honey in a pan on the stove on low heat , and boil a lemon in some water in another pain for 2-3 minutes. Then, leave the lemon to cool cut it in slices, and add it to the honey.

Cook the mixture for an hour, and then strain it. Leave it to cool, pour it in a jar with a lid, and keep it in the refrigerator up to 2 months. You should take half a teaspoon to soothe a cough in a 25-pound child and 1 teaspoon for a 50-pound child and adults, 4 times daily.

8.Nasal Saline Rinse

Saline nasal rinses are very effective, but make sure you use sterile normal saline water only in it.

9.Coconut Oil

This oil has powerful antibacterial and antiviral properties which are helpful in the case of flu and colds. Just rub it over the skin to soften it, and add half a teaspoon to your cup of coffee or tea.

10.Steam

Steam accelerates the recovery from a cold, eases breathing, treats the inflammation in the nasal passages, and breaks up the mucous secretions in the sinuses.

11.Fermented Foods

The health of the immune system resides in the intestines, and fermented foods supply them with beneficial bacteria that boost the immune system. Therefore, they are excellent as a cold prevention.

12.Chicken Soup

Researchers from the University of Nebraska Medical Center confirmed that chicken soup — both homemade and from the can — has potent anti-inflammatory properties that prevent common colds.

13.Colloidal Silver

This has been a commonly used cold remedy since the time of Hippocrates, who was one of the first to speak about its antimicrobial and antibiotic qualities.

14.Lifestyle Choices

You need to significantly reduce the intake of alcohol and smoking in the case of a cold, as they weaken the immune system and thus the body cannot fight the viral infection.

15.Hand Washing

This habit is extremely important as it helps you to prevent viruses and reduces the spread of the virus to other family members, which will accelerate your recovery.

16.Hydrogen Peroxide

In 1928, Dr. Richard Simmons stated that it is the ear canal from where the cold virus entered your body and not the nose, but these claims were soon dismissed by the medical community.

Yet, a decade later, German researchers successfully treated the flu and colds by applying hydrogen peroxide in the ear canal of their patients. However, you should start with this treatment within the first 24 hours in order to accelerate the recovery.

Meditation has been found to boost the activity in the left frontal region of the brain linked to lower anxiety, stimulates the production of antibodies in the blood, and prevents and treats colds.

Moreover, the following 8 vitamins and minerals are very helpful in the case of a cold:

1.Vitamin C

Studies have shown that vitamin V shortens the life of cold, and higher blood levels of it mean a lower risk of death from all causes. Take it several times daily to quickly fight the cold.

2.Vitamin E

It improves the T-cell-related immune-mediated response in the elderly population and shortens the length of the cold.

3.Vitamin A

It is very important for the differentiation and regulation of almost every body cell, including normal immune function, so it will help you prevent colds.

4.Vitamin D

Vitamin D is vital for the immune system and prevents the flu and colds. Make sure you optimize it levels in order to speed up the recovery and help the body to prevent respiratory infections, colds, and the flu.

5.Selenium

Its reduced levels will make you prone to viral infections, so if you increase its amounts in the body, you will speed up your recovery.

6.Zinc

It is vital for the function of the immune system. You can take it as lozenges or powder during a cold, or increase the intake of chicken, cashews, crab, lobster, oysters, beef, pork, chickpeas, and Swiss cheese.

7.Magnesium

Magnesium effectively treats viral infections, and if you add it in the form of Epsom salts in your bath, you will also relieve the cold symptoms and feel much better.

8.Vitamin B6

It is crucial for the production of more than 100 enzymes responsible for protein metabolism, and it will help you keep colds at bay.

You should also try the following 11 cold remedies:

1.Ginseng and Andrographis

Studies have shown that these plants relieve the symptoms of colds, and reduce their lengths if taken within 72 hours of the start of the symptoms.

2.White Willow

In the time of Hippocrates, people were advised to chew on the bark of the tree to relieve pain and fever, as this bark has properties similar to aspirin. It will relieve the cold symptoms and help you feel much better.

3.Pelargonium Sidoides

This obscure herb reduces the severity of the symptoms of the cold and shortens its length.

4.Olive Leaf Extract

This extract reduces the severity and length of the cold and fights the virus.

5.Raw Garlic

Garlic is one of the most powerful natural remedies, and despite preventing colds, it also reduces its severity.

6.Propolis

It is collected by bees from leaf buds and tree bark, and it reduces the cold severity, treats viral illnesses, and upper respiratory infections.

7. Oregano Oil

This oil has strong antibacterial and antiviral effects which soothe the symptoms of colds. If sprayed in a combination with four other aromatic plants, it could immediately reduce the side effects of the infection.

8.Echinacea

This popular Native American medicinal plant accelerates the healing process, so start drinking 2-3 cups of Echinacea tea daily on the first or second day of your cold.

9.Licorice Root

It effectively treats colds and upper respiratory infections.

10.Curcumin

It reduces the levels of two inflammatory enzymes, strengthens the immune system, and fights the cold virus.